Ronaldo sees red as United held

The latter was sent off in the 83rd minute for a second yellow-card offence, and Ronaldo was dismissed in the 84th for a suspected head-butt on substitute Richard Hughes.

United's goal came from a 15th-minute Paul Scholes strike but was pegged back by Benjani's bullet header early in the second half.

Nani and Carlos Tevez were both involved in the action when United took a 15th minute lead with Scholes' powerful drive.

The goal inevitably galvanised United into more positive action after a fairly pedestrian start and Pompey were happy to see Ronaldo's shot deflected into the side-netting for a corner soon afterwards.

But their hastily-reconstructed defence was beginning to creak against a growing pressure of attacks from the Red Devils and Ronaldo was twice close to breaking through again before the interval.

Yet Pompey had a lively attacker in John Utaka and a strong midfield presence in Muntari.

And although David James had to make thrilling saves at the start of the second half to defy both Nani and Tevez, they stormed back into the game with Benjani's dramatic equaliser seven minutes after the break, the Zimbabwean superbly heading home a cross from the left.

United still made the better chances and Pompey hung on bravely at times but they held out somehow as the pace grew and were grateful to see Tevez slide in just too late to touch home a rebound from Ronaldo's 74th-minute shot.

The late dismissals scarred what was a much better second half but Pompey finished celebrating another against-the-odds triumph.